Stephen’s session with our staff was wonderful. It is the most engaged my staff have ever been in a training session. The subject matter was presented in a very dynamic and interesting way and I think everyone learned a great deal.

Nancy Noble, CEO

Museum of Vancouver

His message is easy to understand, relatable, and most important, he gets our employees and managers talking about the very issues we want them to be talking about: ways to make our workplace more enjoyable and respectful for our employees, artists, faculty and guests. We also use his “Continuing Education” package, allowing our managers to have access to education resources, 24/7, when they may need further support. We’ll be having Stephen back again.

Kelly Breithaupt

Manager, Training and Retention

The Banff Centre

For our annual emergency preparedness Boot Camp we wanted to wow participants with speakers who were dynamic, thought provoking and edutaining. We asked Stephen Hammond to present because of his reputation to do just that. He took the complex workplace issue of harassment and discrimination, and made it understandable and relevant. Our clients were totally engaged. Many of them said they now want Stephen to speak to their workplaces and associations. Only he could take a serious subject like harassment, make a game out of it (literally) and have the audience clamouring for more. Outstanding!

Donna Gingera, Principal

Hour-Zero School Emergency Program

If you want to educate and highly entertain your audience, you must hire Stephen Hammond. ﾠWe wanted to educate our CEOs about workplace harassment, discrimination and as Stephen puts it, "the changing face of Canada."ﾠ This guy is funny (very funny), he's entertaining, he's current and he knows his subject matter like the back of his hand. Our attendees raved about Stephen's presentation, the way he engaged everyone with his use of technology, his content, and how they can't wait to use their new-found knowledge when they get back to work. ﾠIn fact, the feedback we received from our members has been the best we have ever received from any one speaker at any of our Professional Development days. They also love that Stephen provided on-going resources to be used by our members long after our memories fade. We will definitely be inviting Stephen back. This guy is good.

Melinda Heidsma, Chair, - BC CEO Network

Brilliant. ﾠSuperb. ﾠIt was amazing.

Catherine Peltier Mavin

Aboriginal Policy and Promotion Advisor

Government of Canada

Excellent presentation that was informative, educational, interactive and fun that left you wanting more. This is definitely a must have presenter.

Judy Buckley

Chair, SGEU Human Rights/Equity Committee

Your informal style with all the sessions was such a hit that other divisions of the company wanted you to give similar training.ﾠ The feedback we have received on our evaluation forms has identified you as a strong knowledgeable speaker. I especially like the fact that some of our senior managers and HR department have subsequently sought out your advice to help with problems they encountered.ﾠ Your experience and expertise has been very well received here at Cameco Corporation.

Kelly Howey

Training and Development Department

Cameco Corporation

This session, just like the others, was very informative to our students. It helped to open their minds about an area of diversity they may have had little experience with, and better understand the needs of a group of people, and a culture they may know little about. I know it helped them to be inclusive when they got out to the working world of recreation, and better serve their communities as a result.

On each occasion you speak, I have found you to be professional — reliable, on time, and smartly dressed, knowledgeable, funny, informative, and thought-provoking. You really know your stuff.

Caroline Kimoto

Langara College

You are clear and to the point, you speak with conviction, you take both current events and work examples and use those to reinforce your learning objective, which helps staff to walk away with specific realistic day to day examples to remember. You are engaging and take full advantage of audience participation with the use of hands on examples and the added touch of using humour to teach a point. I would describe you as a natural speaker, presenter and educator for all audience types based on your approach, style, and your natural ability to engage, entertain and motivate others while learning critical life long skills.

Harold V J Clark, CHRP

Director, Strategic Planning, Policy and Human Resources

Legal Services Society

I want to emphasize how much I enjoyed your visit here. The feedback I had about your presentation was uniformly excellent. Personally, I was very impressed by your knowledge base, dedication, and organization in developing your topic. We were very fortunate to have you attend.

Michael West, MD, BSc (Med), PhD, FRCSC

Associate Dean, Postgraduate Medical Education

Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba

You were able to bring our management group up to speed on important issues that they otherwise might not have considered and you did so in a way that caught people’s attention.ﾠ Our managers went back to their workplaces better informed and better prepared.ﾠ Your style and manner in addressing the issues within the room were very effective and we felt much more prepared to understand and be mindful of the risks in these extremely important areas of our business after your presentation.

Peter Blake, CEO,

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers

We brought Stephen in to help our management team understand the importance of having a respectful workplace, and how to achieve it. It was a full day event for about 30 people and the level of engagement was quite amazing. Stephen’s delivery style combined with a strong shot of humour and many highly relevant stories from his personal experience and from the public record, kept the group’s interest piqued the entire time. Many times there were four or five hands raised at the same time with questions and passionate comments. Not only did the group come away with a heightened understanding of how to continuously improve harmony and cooperation in the workplace, but I think that a lot of us were left with some areas that we can work on improving personally. We are so pleased with what we got from Stephen that we have decided to invite him back to work with the rest of our co-workers.

Jim Hogan, President

VMAC Global Technology Inc.

Our organization found itself in need of a experienced and credible trainer and educator who could deliver information on diversity and human rights in a manner and at a level that resonated with our staff. That person was Stephen Hammond. His credentials as a lawyer together with the work that he has done within the world of human rights, harassment, discrimination and equality affords him a unique perspective.....a perspective that was overwhelmingly well received by his audience of civilian staff and sworn members from the entire spectrum of our police department. I found that Stephen listened to our needs and responded with exactly the right approach and material. Most importantly, the feedback from Stephen’s workshops was incredibly positive. His presentations were professional, non-threatening to the audience and delivered with appropriate dashes of relevant real life stories as well as humour. The topic of human rights is not an easy one to deliver and the ability to connect with the workshop participants is critical. Stephen managed to succeed effortlessly throughout our engagement with him and as a result, have no hesitation in recommending him.

Phil Eastwood

Inspector, Administration Division

New Westminster Police Department

Stephen is an experienced speaker who does not talk down to participants, nor does he patronize them. He covers the materials in a way that gets people to think, an important aspect of eliciting a change in behaviour. He does not tell you what to do, but gives you the tools to make better choices. For adults, this is a good method of delivery that has a strong chance of making a successful change in attitudes and behaviour.

Gord Howard, President

West Vancouver Fire Fighters I.A.F.F. Local 1525

Here are some of the comments from participants, sent by the Conference organizers: ­— “Amazing! I could have listened to and participated in a session with Stephen all day.” — “Unbelievable. What a presenter!” — “As we see legislation changing with respect to bullying in the workplace and Collective Agreement language having respectful workplace articles, Stephen’s session was excellent and perfect timing!” — “Very fun and interactive! Great speaker and very relevant.”

BC Colleges and Institutions Consortium

Employee Benefits Conference

Your discussion of bullying was timely, presented in a way that allowed you to meet the needs of the broad audience (who included administrators, faculty, and staff), and your eloquent and engaging speaking style coupled with effective use of visuals made the presentation valuable to all those in attendance. In particular, the technology you used including the remote control key pads enhanced your presentation, allowing the audience to actively participate in the discussion, but anonymously, thereby facilitating active participation on sensitive issues without identifying individuals. Your ability to provide instant tabulation of results and incorporate those results into your talk contributed to the impact of your arguments and was positively reviewed by the audience.

Patrick Wilson

Assistant Professor

University of Lethbridge

Stephen Hammond spoke to our Corporate Leadership event two years ago. When, this year, due to budget constraints we could only afford one day and two speakers, I said we had to have the best in Canada and Stephen had to be one of them.ﾠ His interactive technology, his stories, and his humour (he's a funny guy for such a serious topic) help to bring about real and positive change in our workplace.ﾠ Our CAO said it was the best leadership event we've ever had.ﾠ I couldn't agree more.

Tatjana Zatezalo, MPA

Manager - Organizational Development & Health

Human Resources Services

Halifax Regional Municipality

A number of years ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Stephen Hammond speak at my workplace about human rights. It was evident that Stephen was an expert in this topic and he had the skills to deliver his message in such a way that it had an impact on all of those who attended.

Since that time, I have moved onto my consulting practice that specializes in workplace investigations and I often refer Stephen to clients because I know first-hand how he delivers his message and helps participants in his session understand the importance of respecting one another and recognizing when we are potentially discriminating.

Stephen is knowledgeable, personable, and engaging. When I say I highly recommend him – I really do!

Kellie Auld,

SIMPLY COMMUNICATING

I was very pleased to read in the evaluations that many people indicated they would pay more attention to their own behaviour or communication towards others as a result of Stephen’s session. He was impactful and here are some comments from staff and management: ‘I will make an effort to speak up more in the future about what I feel is unacceptable behaviour or otherwise’; ‘one of the most well designed and presented courses I’ve had in my ten years with the City’; ‘This was the best training I’ve ever experienced with the City!’; ‘I really appreciated the presentation; it has made me really think about myself and my actions and comments.

Mickie Donley, HR Coordinator

City of Courtenay

We liked the approach you took in your book, Managing Human Rights at Work: 101 practical tips to prevent human rights disasters and wanted that same common sense approach for our employees and supervisors. Stephen, you were able to cover a wide variety of issues related to respect, human rights and reasonable accommodations. In the process, our people came away with a better understanding and some important ideas on how to resolve problems as they arise. Participants overwhelmingly said: “Stephen was dynamic, informative and well prepared.” He was “very knowledgeable about topics presented in a non-threatening environment.” Stephen was “very good. He kept our attention with relevant examples and some humour during his presentation. He was very entertaining, engaging and informative.”

Giles Dorval & Kathy Dahl

Employment Services Consultant & Manager

City of Saskatoon

Many of our firefighters and officers admitted they thought the session was going to be a waste of time. To the contrary virtually every member who attended stated they were pleasantly surprised and felt Stephen was; intimately knowledgeable in the subject, understood the culture of the fire service, and presented the subject in a format which encouraged discussion and involvement. Personally when I listened to Stephen’s presentation it occurred to me this is the environment and culture I would like my son to experience as he continues his career in the Fire Service.

Fire Chief Peter Grootendorst

City of Maple Ridge

Stephen Hammond's keynote delivery was a total success at our Annual General Meeting. While the audience in teams, they also learned about real Canadian cases. Each challenge was thought provoking and the interaction followed naturally. Stephen didn't speak to the audience he spoke with the audience with just the right mix of humour and common sense. I have already recommended Stephen to all of our Provincial Directors in Canada and would not hesitate to acquire his services again.

Shannon O'Callaghan

Ontario RV Dealers Association

Who would have thought we could have a session about human rights related issues and still have a good time? Your session was very well received by our employees in our desire to know more about our obligations and responsibilities.

Your presentation was very creative and that helped people to take in your message and apply it back at work. Thank you for helping us get a better understanding of this issue.

Francine DiMambro

Senior Advisor, Human Resources

Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation

It is very rare to find someone with the right combination of knowledge and experience and that something extra that makes people want to listen, learn and participate. We feel very lucky to have found Stephen, who makes Harassment Awareness training informative, useful, and yes...fun!

Stephen consistently gets rave reviews from all of the participants and is a pleasure to work with. We wouldn’t think of using anyone else.

Anna Grolle BA, CGA

Director of Corporate Operations & HR

Cactus Club Cafe

Keynote speaker Stephen Hammond closed his amazing presentation about people’s perceptions of Canadian society with the many steps forward human rights have taken over the years. He reminded us how precious our human rights are and that great things have been, and still can be achieved, even in the face of the most daunting obstacles.

We were looking for someone who could present this rather difficult and sensitive topic in a non-threatening way so that our Managers felt like they were part of the solution, rather than just being given a lecture. Stephen was excellent and quickly built rapport with our very diverse team. He was informative, engaging and knew how to make us think about solutions versus just memorizing rules.

Kam Dhillon-Josh

Director of Human Resources

Clearly Contacts/Coastal.com

I'd like to say that I thought the plenary was incredible today. I didn't have much expectations for Stephen Hammond as I had never heard of the guy until you had brought him up in that email, and I've never heard him speak. I thought his talk was incredibly engaging and interesting. The way he combined interaction with real life stories about politicians and business moguls made the talk more relatable and interesting for an engineering student audience. I also like how he gave examples that made us think instead of dwelling on and making us feel incompetent because 'we've done these wrong things too.' I've sat in many class lectures before and I don't think I've ever seen such a large group of students listen intently without fidgeting with iPods, cellphone or laptops. I've made this comparison before, but I really thought the way he presented the information was as inspiring as a TED talk. Great job on finding an effective motivational speaker!

Tiffany Yu,

Electrical Engineering Student, University of Victoria

After 20 years of public speakers I can say this is the best presentation I have ever had. This is not just for management, but for every human being. ﾠOne of the issues you discussed was racism. Even though I make an effort not to be racist, I was surprised by terms used casually that have racist meaning. ﾠI shall bring the knowledge into my life to make me a better person, not just a better manager

Linda Fujita Manager

Liquor Distribution Branch, B.C.

I have always appreciated Stephen’s professionalism and style. He is excellent at getting people engaged to talk about subject matters that are difficult and complex. When people leave his sessions they either have good ideas, or good questions to answer. In each case people have a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities in the workplace.

Stephen is gifted at being able to add humour to a subject that very few people think of as funny. He is able to not only keep up with current issues, but also current technology, to support the learning process.

Steve Traviss

Senior Human Resources Officer

District of Maple Ridge, B.C.

The speakers at our conferences have always been oriented to our industry, but this year we wanted something different. Stephen's keynote presentation about keeping up with the changing times was very thought-provoking, entertaining and very educational. His message is an important one for any employers who face a changing workforce. Also, Stephen kept our members completely engaged by using relevant and current stories, auto-response technology and his sense of humour. We'll be having Stephen back for another conference in the future.

Brenda Caron, President, Western Canadian Chapter

The International Association of Foundation Drillers

Stephen, you are unique. With over 35 years of observing speakers you are in the top 5%. So many people try to frame an issue their way, but you presented the facts, told us where we were, where we’re going and asked us to decide what we are willing or going to do about it. You gave me lots of information and lots to think about and I thought it was great.

Tom Bremner, Fire Chief,

Salt Spring Island Fire-Rescue

Thank you so much for being part of our conference. Your presentation was dynamic, thought-provoking and feedback from our conference evaluations said you were great and the best. I'm really glad a white man can speak strongly on Aboriginal issues as it sometimes makes more impact on other white managers than if I would say it. Thank you and Meegwetch for being an advocate for Aboriginal people. We really need people like you.

Louise Chippeway

Program Coordinator, Human Resources Programs

Manitoba Civil Service Commission

You are an engaging speaker who provided insightful, useful and relevant information on the topic presented. The feedback received from our staff ranked you among the best of speakers who presented at BCLC. Employees left your session with a better understanding of their rights and responsibilities regarding Harassment and other workplace human rights issues. Your presentations are easy to understand, you are a very approachable speaker always current with the information you present, you challenge people to go beyond their limits but are not threatening in any way and you encourage the participants to have some fun.

Carmen Grant

Director, Human Resources

Purdy’s Chocolates

Your session was pivotal in allowing our employees to think about creating an inclusive workplace and environment for our academic community. It is a subject matter that can be emotional and even provocative and yet you were able to get people thinking about new and better ways to treat people. You challenged our staff to think more inclusively by the case examples you used. It was obvious from your presentation the in-depth knowledge and passion you have for human rights topics. At the end of your session, our employees went back to work with tools to either treat all people in the work environment and those they provide serve to appropriately, or to ask for advice if they encounter problems.

Shailoo Bedi, Director

University of Victoria

University Libraries - Access & Branch Services

Thank you for doing a great job!

Your presentation style and skills ensured the audience was engaged and your message was powerful, relevant and contemporary. Using current and provocative examples, you were able to address issues of stereotyping and discrimination that left people realizing there is so much to do. You also succeeded in taking the complexities of human rights and making them understandable. What was especially enjoyable was your humour. Using humour and irony, you were able to make points that are sometimes hard to make; yet when it came to the tough issues, you didn’t sugar coat your message. Conference participants truly appreciated your message.

David Reid

Chairman - Saskatoon Chapter,

Interprovincial Association on Native Employment

Your sessions have greatly assisted our Fire Officer candidates as they gain a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in dealing with workplace issues such as Harassment and other forms of discrimination. Their learning of your knowledge of the law and the practical side of workplace issues is a benefit to our department as we require our Fire Officers to effectively deal with workplace issues before they get out of hand.

Our Fire Officer candidates have continually commented to me about your ability to provide clear and concise information in a meaningful and enlightened manner. They have also commented on your entertaining method of keeping them interested and engaged during lectures and your overall commitment to their learning and understanding of the topic under discussion.

Robert Chapman,

Division Chief, Training a Development

Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services

The feedback I received from managers and supervisors I talked to is that they found the sessions to be highly engaging. The sessions were informal and fun, yet participants were able to gain from your expertise and practical advice. Your knowledge of the municipal environment, including male-dominated workplaces, helped you to make a connection with our supervisors and managers.

Terry Hartley

General Manager, Human Resources

City of Lethbridge

Stephen's presentation on human rights in the workplace effectively and efficiently combined facts with humour that engaged everyone and had people leaving wanting to know more. Indeed human rights in the workplace was a common topic of discussion at coffee/lunch breaks during the week following his presentation. I would recommend Stephen to any organization that wants to get the message about human rights and diversity in the workplace to any employee group.

Jonathan Beddoes

Dean of Engineering, University of Manitoba.

Stephen is one of the most engaging and natural speakers we have ever had speak to us. His enthusiasm for and knowledge of his subject matter made him interesting, but it was his humour and openness that drew the audience in. People felt free to express their opinions in a safe, non-judgemental environment.

Susan Wong

Regional Manager, Team Leader

Department of Justice Canada

Vancouver, B.C.

Every supervisor, manager and company executive today would do well to read it and keep the principles in mind.

I worked with you when a number of municipalities were creating a training program template that would be used for years to come. Your knowledge and skills in delivering complex issues in interesting ways, encouraged me to have you come and talk to some of our staff. There were a number of items I wanted you to cover and I appreciated that you were able to come up with a variety of ways to deliver them. When challenging questions arose, you handled the situation with diplomacy yet let the participant and the rest of the group understand that their job is providing respectful customer service, and not allowing personal beliefs to affect their customer service, particularly when working at a city facility. I respected your facilitation methods and observed how you were able to create a positive learning environment where the participants learned but were also entertained and I believe that leads to better learning.

Cathy Lavery

Coordinator - Community Development

City of Burnaby, Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services

A number of our committee saw Stephen Hammond speak previously, and when planning our event decided we had to have him speak. We're so glad we got him. From the very beginning, Stephen completely engaged the audience with a very different and provocative perspective that I guarantee will stick with the audience for a long time. Using humour and real substance, he challenged people to make real and positive change. Put simply, Stephen was great.

Melonie Doucette

Area Workforce Partnerships Coordinator

Alberta Employment and Immigration Fort McMurray, Alberta

I was fascinated to watch as you took a very complex and otherwise potentially dry subject matter and made it “live” for our managers. With your assistance, participants were able to understand how certain behaviours are simply not okay in today’s work environment. The examples you used were very relevant and resonated with the group. You also helped our managers understand that it is indeed their responsibility to model appropriate behaviour and to monitor their work environments for inappropriateness. And all of this in a fun, non-threatening and non-preachy style! I also wanted to express appreciation to you for taking the time to write your book. I know that the copy we purchased for each participant has been a handy reference for them and a good reminder of many of the points you spoke of at our session.

Susan Ney

Director of Human Resources and Payroll Services

District of West Vancouver

I will continue my campaign to ensure every nurse has an opportunity to work with you.

Deb Stewart, R.N./B.N.

Labour Relations Officer

Manitoba Nurses Union

It is often difficult to discuss the issues of bullying and respect in an academic environment when there is a need to have free speech. However, your approach was great because it allowed for freedoms, yet talked about the desire and need to be respectful and within the law. Our department heads and administrators left your session with a better understanding of each person’s roles and responsibilities.

Not an easy task.

Susan Todd-Morris, - Executive Officer

Faculty of Social Science - McMaster University

Those who attended your sessions gave rave reviews. Those who commented all agree on one thing………. that one would be hard pressed to get better training anywhere else in Canada. So thank you very much for bringing your knowledge, experience and confidence to advance the mindsets of our workforce towards a respectful workplace.